And more recently, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act, which doesn't recognize same-sex marriage — meaning gay rights activists could soon claim a victory on the federal stage.

In short, a lot has happened that has stirred up emotions about homosexuality around the country. Still, it's impossible to know for sure whether the disturbing resilience of anti-gay hate crimes is a reaction to that progress.

As more gays come out of the closet, they might simply be reporting those crimes more often.

In either case, the relatively huge number of reports makes it clear that violent anti-gay sentiment still persists in a nation that's barreling towards giving same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexuals.